CHAPTER 20 — Vocabulary

Vocabulary Words from CHAPTER 20

sejested (verb)

Dialectal spelling of "suggested"; proposed or brought to mind.

sockdolager (noun)

Something exceptionally large, powerful, or decisive; here, a tremendous bolt of lightning and thunderclap.

histrionic (adjective)

Relating to acting or theatrical performance; overly dramatic.

phrenology (noun)

A pseudoscience that claimed to determine character traits by examining the shape and bumps of a person's skull.

divining rod (noun)

A forked stick or rod believed to be able to locate underground water or minerals by bending downward when held over the source.

dissipating (verb)

Causing to disappear or scatter; dispersing.

meedyevil (adjective)

Dialectal pronunciation of "medieval"; relating to the Middle Ages.

linsey-woolsey (noun)

A coarse fabric woven from a mixture of linen (or cotton) and wool, commonly worn by rural people in the 19th century.

tow-linen (noun)

A rough, cheap fabric made from the short, broken fibers of flax or hemp.

mourners' bench (noun)

A front bench at a revival meeting where sinners sit to repent and seek forgiveness; also called the anxious bench.

contrite (adjective)

Feeling deep remorse and regret for wrongdoing; penitent.

mire (noun)

Deep mud or swampy ground; figuratively, a difficult or unpleasant situation.

dangersome (adjective)

Dialectal form of "dangerous"; likely to cause harm or risk.

ciphered (verb)

Figured out through calculation or careful thought; worked out.

heathens (noun)

People who do not belong to a widely held religion; used here humorously to compare different targets for religious con schemes.